Will Smith, born on September 25, 1968, in West Philadelphia, started his career in music as part of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Their fun, clean rap songs won fans and even earned them the first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1989.
In 1990, Will stepped into acting with the hit TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show made him a household name and opened doors to Hollywood. He went on to star in blockbuster films like Independence Day, Men in Black, Bad Boys, Ali, and The Pursuit of Happyness.
In 2022, Smith finally won the Oscar for Best Actor for playing Richard Williams in King Richard. He also won a Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Award for the same role. As of 2025, his net worth is estimated to be between $350 and $375 million.
Will’s personal life has also been in the spotlight. He married actress Jada Pinkett Smith in 1997. They have two children, Jaden and Willow, who are also in the entertainment world. He also has a son, Trey, from a previous marriage. In 2023, Jada revealed that she and Will had been living separately since 2016, but they are still close and sometimes appear together publicly.
His career hasn’t been without problems. Early on, Will faced money troubles when the IRS took a big part of his earnings due to unpaid taxes. More recently, his 2022 Oscars moment when he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage, led to a lot of criticism. Will later apologized and resigned from the Academy, which banned him from their events for 10 years.
Even with ups and downs, Will Smith remains a major figure in entertainment. He runs a production company, Westbrook Inc., and is popular on social media. From a young rapper in Philly to a global movie star, Will Smith’s journey is one of talent, growth, and learning from mistakes.